• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
butfirstchai.com
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • About Me
  • Middle Eastern
  • South Indian
  • Subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • About Me
  • Middle Eastern
  • South Indian
  • Subscribe
×
Home » Recipes » Dal

Kumbalanga Parippu Curry | Ash Gourd Dal

Modified: Sep 8, 2022 · Published: Oct 17, 2020 by Famidha Ashraf · 1 Comment

Jump to Recipe

Kumbalanga (ash gourd) and parippu (lentil) cooked in a spiced coconut sauce is a Kerala style dal served with rice or chapati for lunch or dinner. This ash gourd dal recipe is so easy to make and loved by many of you.

ash gourd curry poured over a bed of white rice with green beans and pickle in the side

Ash gourd is also known as winter melon. In Malayalam, we call it Kumbalanga and in Tamil, it is known as neer poosanikai. Parippu translates to lentils like yellow split pigeon peas also called Arhar dal, Toor dal or Tuvar dal. This curry can be prepared with split moong dal too but the flavour profile is totally different. 

I got introduced to ash gourd while in Yanbu and had made a bong recipe with moong dal. As you know already, the UAE has given me a great opportunity to cook my home food. Winter Melon was available in abundance here so made this Kumbalanga Parippu Curry more than a few times. F also loved it with rice and chapati. You will be surprised to know that this vegetable is also used to make the popular dessert - Poosanikai Halwa!

When I had shared this dal recipe on Insta stories, some tried and mentioned that this is a keeper recipe! I can't agree more but maybe will come back again to update this with better pictures. 😊

Kumbalanga Parippu Curry is homely dal with chunks of ash gourd. You can make this dal in a few different ways. I have listed the optional ingredients that you can choose to try. Kumbalanga or the ash gourd can be replaced with other gourds like bottle gourd or green or raw papaya. 

kumbalanga curry over a bed or white rice along with some curd and stir fried amaranth leaves and pickle

📖 Recipe Card

ash gourd curry poured over a bed of white rice with green beans and pickle in the side

Kumbalanga Parippu Curry | Ash Gourd Dal

Kumbalanga (ash gourd) and parippu (lentil) cooked in a spiced coconut sauce is a Kerala style dal served with rice or chapati for lunch or dinner.
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate SaveSaved!
Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes minutes
Servings: 3 people
Calories: 322.09kcal
Author: Famidha Ashraf
Prevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients
 

Pressure Cook

  • ⅔ cup toor dal, washed and soaked for 10 minutes
  • 1 medium-sized tomatoes, (optional)
  • 1 garlic clove, smashed
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 ½ cup water
  • salt to taste

For the Coconut Paste

  • ½ cup grated coconut
  • 6 to 8 mini shallots, peeled and chopped roughly
  • 1 garlic clove, smashed
  • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, (you may use cumin seeds instead)
  • 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
  • water, to help the grinding process

For the curry

  • 300 grams ash gourd, (measured ready to cook)
  • 2 to 3 green chillies, slit
  • a few curry leaves, torn
  • water, (to cover the vegetable)
  • salt to taste

For Tempering

  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil
  • ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds, (optional)
  • 2 dried red chillies 
  • a few curry leaves

Instructions

Pressure cook or boil the lentils

  • Add the soaked toor dal, garlic clove, turmeric powder, tomato if using, enough water and salt in a pressure cooker and pressure cook for 10 to 15 minutes on medium flame or until the lentils are cooked to soft. You may pot cook the lentils until soft and mushy. 
    ⅔ cup toor dal
    1 medium-sized tomatoes
    1 garlic clove
    ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
    1 ½ cup water
    salt to taste

Prepare the coconut paste

  • Add the grated coconut, garlic clove, mini shallots, fennel seeds or cumin seeds, red chilli powder and a little water into a small chutney maker and process to a fine paste.  
    ½ cup grated coconut
    6 to 8 mini shallots
    1 garlic clove
    1 teaspoon fennel seeds
    1 teaspoon red chilli powder
    water

Prepare curry

  • Open the pressure cooker (only after it is cooled and pressure released) and transfer the cooked lentils into a deep pot.
  • Heat that deep pot on low to medium flame and add the chopped ash gourd, green chillies, curry leaves, enough water to cover the vegetable and salt to taste
    300 grams ash gourd
    2 to 3 green chillies
    a few curry leaves
    water
    salt to taste
  • Cover with a lid and cook this on low to medium flame for 10 minutes or until the ash gourd pieces are all cooked through (they should start to look transparent) 
  • Open and add the prepared coconut paste and add more water as required and salt as per taste. Bring this to boil and then switch off. 

Prepare the tempering

  • Heat the coconut oil in a small tadka pan. Add the mustard seeds and let them splutter. Next, add the cumin seeds (optional) and let them sizzle. 
    1 tablespoon coconut oil
    ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
    ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
  • Tear and add the dried red chillies and curry leaves and fry until crisp. Switch off and stir this into the prepared curry. 
    2 dried red chillies 
    a few curry leaves
  • Serve hot Kumbalanga parippu curry with warm rice or ari dosha or chapati.

Notes

Do you have a question or want more tips? Please refer to the content above the recipe card. It often contains valuable explanations, tips, and ideas to enhance your cooking experience.

Nutrition Info

Calories: 322.09kcal | Carbohydrates: 33.47g | Protein: 8.41g | Fat: 20.11g
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Indian, Kerala
Tried this recipe?Please consider Leaving a Review!

More Dal Recipes

  • A bowl of rice with Khatti Meethi dal, pappadom and sabji.
    Khatti Meethi Dal (Gujarati Dal)
  • sambar recipe without coconut
    Sambar recipe without coconut
  • dal gosht served with ghee rice
    Dal Gosht | Lentil and Meat Curry
  • A plate of winter melon with dal on my hand.
    Winter Melon with Yellow Mung | Chaal Kumro Diye Muger Dal

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Sushmitha Nagarajan says

    July 20, 2024 at 12:11 pm

    5 stars
    I made this yesterday and it came out so well. My husband loved it !!
    Thank you !!

    Reply
5 from 1 vote

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Mr.F and Famidha

Hey, I'm Famidha

An Indian chai lover in the UAE. As a passionate food blogger, I share a diverse collection of recipes spanning the Middle East and South Asia. With each dish, I aim to spark your culinary curiosity and encourage you to try new flavours and cooking methods.

about me

Popular

  • Cucumber Tomato Feta Salad
    Cucumber Tomato Feta Salad
  • A bowl of cucumber salad with a small bowl of roasted peanuts by the side.
    Sweet and Sour Cucumber Salad
  • chickpea sundal recipe
    Chickpea Sundal
  • fatteh chickpeas
    Fatteh Hummus

Seasonal

  • Chocolate Brownies with Avocado pieces
    Chocolate Brownies with Avocado
  • chocolate salami served in a round plate.
    Chocolate Salami without Eggs
  • a plate of chocolate date balls
    Chocolate Date Balls
  • kataifi truffles with condensed milk
    Sweet Kataifi Truffles

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • Privacy Policy
  • Media Mentions

Newsletter

  • Sign Up!

Contact

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • Pinterest

Copyright © 2025 But first Chai

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.